SOL 31/31: Showers

To quote Kramer on Seinfeld The Shower Head Episode,

“A bath is like sitting in your on filth”.

Showers sprinkles nice hot clean water,

And it cleans your body and washes everything a way.

A bath is good for about four seconds before you realize,

“There is dirt and grass floating in the water around me”.

Showers can become baths but better.

All you have to do is sit down.

The scalding water trickles down your body

And it warms you up and cleanses your body.

On a cold wet day.

The ones everyone dreads.

Where the wind howls like wolfs.

There is nothing like get out of your wet cold clothes

And letting the steaming water warm you up.

It comforts you like a cushion.

It makes life better and all good.

Your worries wash down the rain with the dirt.

You doubts go away.

Happiness and calmness returns to your body as you sit there,

Your mind blank.

There is nothing to think or say or do.

You forget about your deadlines and due dates,

Your work, school, enemies, everything.

And you are put in a trance you never want to leave.

Each time you try to get it out end up staying for longer.

When you do get out all you can think about.

Is when you are going to be able to take that next long,

Comforting,

Warm,

Shower.

SOL 30/31: Backpacking Part 2

I wake up laying, staring at the ceiling of my tent. The world is still dark around us besides my dad's phone alarm that woke us up. We get up and dress silently. I take down the tent while he makes breakfast. We eat a quick meal in total silence as if not wanting to disturb the peaceful world around us. Then with our daypacks filled with some water, snacks, minor first aid kit, and a leatherman and my knife strapped to my hip we set off. By the time its sunrise we are past timberline. We stop and have a quick snack and water break sitting on the top of a hill looking back over the valley. Its painting worthy. I sit there taking in the warmth of the sun and the feeling of being out in the wilderness. We keep hiking and after a grueling three to four hours of hiking and two false summits I reach the summit. A feeling of accomplishment and happiness overcomes me. By the time I scout the top and look out at all the beautiful views its around midday. My dad and I sit at the top chatting and having some nice sandwiches. I get a picture of me at the top with the valley behind me. After absorbing every last bit we start our long way down but I still and beaming with happiness.

SOL 29/31: Backpacking Part 1

I am hiking up the trail my dad right behind me. We are going backpacking to Mt. Harvard near Buena Vista, CO. On my back is about and forty to sixty pound backpack that is making me break a sweat. On my hip is my trusty four inch Bear Grylls knife that I just sharpened. We are hiking on a relatively steep trail. I have a map in my pocket and am following a trail. Our plan is to make it quite a bit up the trail and then camp tonight and then hike the Mountain tomorrow with our daypacks and hike back down to the car tomorrow by evening. My thoughts wander as we hike. I think about school, sports, girls… everything you can imagine. I occasionally glance at the map to see where we are at. We make it to the site and I set down my bag for the first time. The cool air chills my back but it feels wonderful. The night starts to fade. I set up the tent while my dad makes dinner. I lean back and stare at the stars with a bowl of hot broth in my hands. Sometime after that I remember going into my tent and falling asleep in the my sleeping bag.

SOL 28/31: Water Polo Bus Rides

I wake up with my adrenaline pumping. Even though its around five in the morning I feel wide awake. I roll out of bed and throw and throw on some baggy shorts a tank top and my baggy hoodie. The rest of my house is silent as I make my way silently downstairs. I grab a piece of fruit and throw on my shoes. I then hear scuffling sounds behind me and see my dad coming down the stairs. For a big guy he doesn't make much noise at all. Nodding to each other we silently make our way outside to the cool air. The rest of the world is asleep around us but I feel more awake than ever. Tonight I will be in Albuquerque playing at a Water Polo tournament. I make my way to the car and when my dad turns it on it roars into the pitch night. We pull out smoothly and make our way to the meeting spot in the Best Buy parking lot at I-25 and Colorado. I look up and see our giant charter bus waiting there. Kids, parents and coaches swarm around getting ready.

After a brief goodbye I grab my stuff and run up to the bus saying, "Hey" and "Good morning coach."I throw my suit case underneath and immediately make my way to the back end of the bus. I sit about five rows from the back with my good friends Georgia, Andrew and Margaux. I sit next to Georgia and the other two are right behind us. We joke and laugh and say dumb things because it is way to early in the morning. After couple more minutes we pull out leaving the parking lot. A couple of the older kids run up and grab the bagel buckets so everyone at the back gets first pick. I grab a chocolate chip bagel with the strawberry cream cheese. I sit there sting and talking as we pull on to the highway.

Even though I am a younger kid, ever since I joined the team I was a "cool kid" and always got to sit with the older kids. Talent buys your way into that group. This group had a lot of privileges. We always got to go first for meals, we got the back of the bus and we get to choose our roommates first. It was always fun being one of the "older kids" even though I was younger than everyone else.

As I was saying we are driving along and we like to mess with each other. Now the bathroom on the bus is in the back so every time someone from this group got up (unless they were a girl) got pants and most likely locked in the bathroom till the next person came who needed to go. It was all fun and games. These bus rides are truly a ton of fun.

After talking, listening to music, laughing, playing on phones we finally make it to the lunch break. Here we stop for about forty five minutes and usually treat ourselves to high quality food such as; McDonalds, Taco Bell, Wendy's, Sonic, Burger King… After forty five minutes off eating as much food as our wallets and stomachs can hold we hop back on the bus to ride another four-five hours. By the time we get there we are all feeling 100% phenomenal. We get there, change into our suits then hop in the pool to warm up for our first game.

SOL 27/31: Continuation

For eight years I have been staring up at all these kids getting there two minutes of fame at this school. A chance to express themselves or their gratitude towards this school, but somehow I just haven't gotten it through that this year I won't be a kid looking at the those kids, I will be one of those kids. I will stand up on the second to last day of school and get two minutes to say goodbye and thanks to what has been my home for nine years. The thought of not going to Logan is a little scary. It's just so familiar. The community, the building, my friends, the education… everything. I feel ready, ready to move on but a little scared. Nervous. I just completed the design for my banner. The first sign that I am also done here. Sad but excited, prepared but nervous, leaving but starting are all words that come to mind. I am preparing for another chapter in my hopefully long and happy life. This chapter is ending and I am trying to squeeze every last thing in before it does. Am I ready, yes. Am I nervous, absolutely.

SOL 26/31: Sorbet

It's a hot summer afternoon cloudless and absolutely beautiful. I stand outside standing over our basil plant. I pick off about thirty of the best biggest leaves and take them back inside. I have done this so many times I know it by heart. Juice four lemons. Put sugar, water, lemon juice, and the now freshly chopped and washed basil in a saucepan and bring it to a simmer, let it sit for ten minutes, then simmer again and then using a strainer discard the basil leaves because all the flavor has been extracted. I go through this meanwhile the kitchen starts to smell like fresh basil and lemons. I suck in the sweet air having just finished the straining. I then pull the ice cream mixer out and start to churn the ice cream. Thirty minutes later I check it and its solidifying. I stick my finger in there to taste it. My mouth pops with the sweet basil and tart lemon. I lick my lips. I then scoop it out and put it in the freezer and let it sit. We sit outside on our patio enjoying the late sunshine. I haven't told anyone I made sorbet  because everyone was out from home and I thought I would surprise them. My mom says:

"JP could you take in the plates and bring out the chocolate (our normal dessert)"

"Sure." I answer.

I am so excited to surprise them. I jump to my feet grab the plates and hurry inside dishing out the sorbet quickly I grab some spoons and bring it out.

My mom starts to ask "Where's the cho…" but I set down the sorbet. She has a surprised and pleasant smile.

"When did you make this?"

"This afternoon." I reply simply.

We then sit down all with smiles and enjoy the sorbet in the fading sun.

"Nice job on the sorbet." my family echoes.

I just nod and smile enjoying my last spoon of delicious Lemon Basil sorbet.

SOL 25/31: Kill Order by James Dashner

This week I read The Kill Order by James Dashner. This is the prequel to the Maze Runner series. I thought this was an alright book but I am not going to talk about the actual book that much because it gives a lot of answers that would ruin the first books. I think that it is not that key to the series to read this but it is mildly entertaining. It gets very dull and drawn out in my opinion. The only book I would suggest reading in this series is the first one the problem is though that once you read it you want to read the other ones but the other ones get pretty boring in my opinion. It kinda of is like a Hunger Games or Divergent but not as well written and not as good of a story. I wouldn't suggest this series as a whole.

Next week I am going to read  Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.